EXTENDING THE VOSTOK ICE-CORE RECORD OF PALEOCLIMATE TO THE PENULTIMATE GLACIAL PERIOD

The ice-core record of local temperature, dust accumulation and air co mposition at Vostok station, Antarctica, now extends back to the penul timate glacial period (approximately 140-200 kyr ago) and the end of t he preceding interglacial. This yields a new glaciological timescale f or the whole record, which is consistent with ocean records. Temperatu res at Vostok appear to have been more uniformly cold in the penultima te glacial period than in the most recent one. Concentrations of CO2 a nd CH4 Correlate well with temperature throughout the record.